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missleyna -> RE: Self Fulfillment vs. Serving Others (4/23/2008 2:59:42 PM)
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Hi-
I've read a couple of books that talk about creating a church within a church. I'm not sure how much time and energy you have- but perhaps this is something you can look into doing? Or by talking to the pastor about having different style worship services once a month or one day of the week in the evening- something that's a bit more to the "contemporary" worship style. Maybe there are more people in the congregation who feel the same way you do too and you could open it up to people outside of the church? It might be a way to combine your husband's love for his church that he grew up in and your need for a different way to commune with God? Then maybe you guys can go to both types of services?
Also, in my bible study one of the girls pointed out that often we spend more time preparing ourselves to go to church physically- with what clothes we will wear, are the kids ready, etc and very little to no time praying to God asking Him to prepare our hearts for worship. Perhaps this could help? Maybe set some time aside to listen to a worship CD and sing and do your own private worship and prayer with God and then go to church and see what He wants to feed you there?
Just some ideas...
quote:
ORIGINAL: ta_mosquito
In my case, it's less that they're teaching poorly. They're solid in the Word.
However...
I don't agree with the liturgy. Meaning, the service is WAY more structured than I like. There's hardly any deviation in how things are done, both in the order of service and in the things done IN the service. For example, every Sunday there is a "prayer of confession" in which we read together what's printed in the bulletin. The words are usually pretty good, except sometimes I'm mouthing things that either don't apply or I don't mean. We recite the Lord's Prayer every Sunday; I've gotten to the point where if I decide that by reciting it I'm just doing "vain repetition" I'll not recite it. Communion (which is something like 6 times a year) is always done the same way. There are a half dozen or so possible readings - including prayers - the pastor chooses from, but it is never done without the proper readings/prayers. It's all so... FORMAL. While I do understand that the old prayers and creeds and recitations are full of good stuff, it's just so... scripted.
And I do confess that, being a person who worships well/best with music, the music in our church is SORELY lacking. Once a month or at most every other month the praise team sings, and often there are a couple songs that aren't in the hymnal, but other than that, it's the organ and hymns. I have no complaint against hymns in general - they, like the old prayers and creeds and recitations, are full of good stuff. But I just do not ENGAGE with them. I feel like I'm singing out of obligation, not out of praise or love.
These things are definitely not hills to die on (or leave a church over), but a continuous drip erodes rock. It doesn't take long for a tiny pebble in one's shoe to drive one bonkers. And, after 2.5 years or so in this church, I feel like I'm nearing the "bonkers" stage. [&:] Is it selfish of me? Yes, of course. But at what point does one's personal needs win out over the "it ain't all about you" principle?
(A little background: before marriage I came from what I would call a "bapti-costal" church, with lots of spirit but also good meat. When I married, I moved from home and joined my husband's church, the church he grew up in. That's the church we're in now, and the church I'm trying to adjust to enough that I don't have negative attitude almost every time we go.) [8|]
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